Committee Agenda Date :May 10. 2006

County of Santa Clara
Social Services Agency
Department of Aging and Adult Services Programs
Senior Nutrition Program

CSFC SSA02 051006

Prepared by: Michael Bobadilla
Management Analyst

Reviewed by: Betty Malks
Director Aging and Adult
Services

DATE:

May 10, 2006

TO:

Supervisor James T. Beall, Jr., Chairperson
Supervisor Don Gage, Vice-Chairperson
Children, Seniors & Families Committee

FROM:

Will Lightboume
Agency Director, Social Services Agency

SUBJECT: Senior Nutrition Program Progress Report and Update

RECOMMENDED ACTION

Accept progress report and update from the Department of Aging and Adult Services on the
Senior Nutrition Program (SNP)cost and program analysis considering expansion of nutrition
services to underserved areas of seniors in poverty.

Board of Supervisors; Donald F, Gage, Blanca Alvarado, Pete McHugh.Jim Beall, Liz Kniss
County Executive; Peter Kutras Jr.
1

Committee Agenda Date ;May 10, 2006

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

As directed by the Chair of the Children, Seniors, and Families Committee, SNP completed a
program and cost analysis to consider expansion of nutrition services to underserved areas of
seniors in poverty. The analysis estimated that $45,000 would be needed to add 14,000
additional congregate nutrition meals in targeted areas considering revenue sources as
follows:

Program Costs for Expansion

$100,000

Less Identified Revenue;
Title me Funds

$25,000

Nutrition Services Incentive Program (NSIP)

$ 5,000

Participant Contributions

$15,000

Program Match(10% minimum contractor contribution)

$10,000

Total Revenue

$55,0^

Additional Funds Needed:

$45.000

Council on Aging Silicon Valley(COA)will contribute towards the expansion efforts by
increasing the annual Federal Title IIIC allocation by $25,000. An estimated 14,000 additional
annual meals would generate $5,000 in Federal Nutrition Services Incentive Program (NSIP)
formerly known as United States Department of Agriculture(USDA)and $15,000 in
estimated participant revenue.

If there were a RFP process, the selected vendor would be required to provide 10% program
match if it were a Community Based Organization(CBO)or 50% program match if the
vendor were a municipality. This requirement insures that the contractor has a shared fiscal
commitment in providing senior nutrition services. No additional sources of revenue have
been identified to fund the $45,000 deficit.

Board of Supervisors: Donald F. Gage, Blanca Alvarado, Pete McHugh,Jim Beall, Liz Kniss
County Executive; Peter Kutras Jr.
2

Committee Agenda Date :May 10, 2006

CONTRACT HISTORY

Not Applicable.
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION

At the February 15, 2006 Children, Seniors and Families Committee (CSFC) Meeting, the
Department of Aging and Adult Services' Senior Nutrition Program presented a status report
on SNP's efforts to underserved seniors in poverty by supervisorial district.

Two reports created by the Planning Department provided the data used by SNP for program
and demographic analysis. The first report presented to CSFC on February 16, 2005, provided
census information analyzing the number of seniors aged 65 and over and living in poverty by
supervisorial district. The table of Seniors aged 65 and over living in Poverty (Attachment A)
is included for reference. The second report, presented to the Board of Supervisors on

September 27, 2005, further detailed data on children, seniors, and families living in poverty
by census tract. This report also mapped SNP congregate nutrition sites by supervisorial
district and their demographic relationship to census tract with seniors in poverty.

The Planning Department data indicated that underserved seniors in poverty are distributed
throughout the County. While many are currently being served by Senior Nutrition Program
sites, there are pockets of seniors who do not have access to congregate nutrition sites near
their homes. The data also identified that the areas with the most census blocks of underserved

seniors in poverty were located in the City of San Jose within Supervisorial District 4.

This report provides a recommendation based on program and cost analysis as well as
collaborative discussions with Council on Aging Silicon Valley staff, representatives from

Supervisorial District 4, and Department of Aging and Adult Services staff.
RACKCROIIND

October 20, 2004 - SNP presented a proposal for the creation of a Strategic Planning Council
to develop a strategic funding plan for SNP. The proposal was accepted and a request was
made by Supervisor Beall to obtain data from the Planning Department.

Board of Supervisors: Donald F. Gage, Blanca Alvarado, Pete McHugh,Jim Beall, LizKniss
County Executive: Peter Kutras Jr.
3

Committee Agenda Date :May 10, 2006

May 10, 2005 - SNP reported back that the Strategic Planning Council did not convene due to
several cities citing an unwillingness to commit to the planning efforts initiated by the Senior
Nutrition Program. A reconsideration of the creation of the Strategic Planning Council was to
he discussed with Council on Aging Silicon Valley(COA)with an update to be provided to
CSFC in September 2005.

September 21, 2005 - SNP presented an update and was directed by CSFC to provide a report
at the beginning of the calendar year relative to targeting seniors in poverty
February 15, 2006 - SNP update identified sites for potential expansion of congregate
nutrition locations. The following were identified as potential congregate sites:
Self-Help for the Elderly - Amher Glow 1050 St. Elizabeth Drive, San Jose
Cypress Senior Nutrition Center 403 S. Cypress Avenue, San Jose
Kirk Senior Nutrition Center 1601 Foxworthy Avenue, San Jose

Camden Community Center 3369 Union Avenue, San Jose
Santa Clara Valiev Blind Center 101 N. Bascom Avenue, San Jose
Indian Health Center 1333 Meridian Avenue, San Jose

Program analysis identified these sites as potential locations that could meet the needs of
underserved areas. Next steps were to project the cost of the proposed expansion.

To ensure potential contractors would not be excluded from review, a general interest survey
was sent out in February 2006 throughout Santa Clara County to determine the level of
interest of potential contractors or current contractors interested in expanding their programs.
Eleven current nutrition contractors expressed an interest in possible expansion. Three
responses were received from other community based organizations(CBOs)indicating
interest in submitting a proposal for a congregate nutrition program.
Outreach

The recommendation to expand the number of sites is part of a continuing effort to improve
and expand senior nutrition services to the most frail and elderly populations in the County. In
order to increase awareness of the Senior Nutrition Program and the services that it provides.

Board of Supervisors: Donald F. Gage, Blanca Alvarado, Pete McHugh,Jim Beall, Liz Kniss
County Executive: Peter Kutras Jr.
4

Committee Agenda Date :May 10, 2006

SNP continues to promote its services through outreach to the community. Current efforts
include:

A one day a week pilot program was recently initiated by the Live Oak Senior Nutrition and
Services Center in Los Gatos, to deliver and provide catered hot meals to Villa Vasona. Villa
Vasona is a Housing and Urban Development(HUD)apartment complex. This pilot was
implemented as an outreach effort to encourage seniors to use the Los Gatos/Campbell senior
nutrition sites on other week days.

The Santa Clara Valley Blind Center(SCVBC)initiated a one day a week pilot program in
March 2006 serving a catered hot lunch and a take home dinner salad to blind or visually
impaired seniors. SCVBC provides rehabilitative services and programs to legally blind and to
visually impaired persons to help them remain independent. The pilot was initiated to provide
meals to a senior population not being served by SNP and to assess the participants' responses
to the program. Participants' responses were favorable regarding the availability of the
program and the quality of the meals served.

SNP participated in a nationwide "March for Meals on Wheels" campaign sponsored by the
Meals on Wheels Association of America(MOWAA)to call attention to the problem of

senior hunger in America. From March 6-9,2006 local city mayors in Santa Clara County
distributed home delivered meals in a special "Mayors for Meals" promotion for the March for
Meals campaign.

Seven mayors and four vice mayors from the cities and towns of Campbell, Cupertino,
Milpitas, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Jose, Santa Clara, Saratoga, and
Sunnyvale personally delivered meals to homebound seniors.

The MOW promotion generated coverage by local newspapers and radio. City representatives
expressed their appreciation of the County's Meals on Wheels program. They all
acknowledged the importance of Meals on Wheels in providing essential nutrition to
homebound seniors and in helping seniors to live independently.

In March and April 2006 , SNP sent 3,000 mailers to all senior households in the cities of
Campbell, Gilroy, and Santa Clara to promote the availability of the Congregate meals and the
Meals on Wheels Programs to seniors in those cities. These households were identified by

Board of Supervisors: Donald F. Gage, Blanca Alvarado, Pete McHugh, Jim Beall, Liz Kniss
County Executive; Peter Kutras Jr.
5

Committee Agenda Date :May 10, 2006

using a marketing distribution database based on updated Census 2000 data.

SNP participates as a member of the Food and Hunger Gap Analysis Group in collaboration
with the Second Harvest Food Bank, the Women,Infant, and Children(WIC)program, and

other members of the Employment Support Initiative Safety Net Committee. This group
provides data on the food gap that affects many children, families, and seniors daily. The
initial Food and Hunger Gap Report, provided to CSFC in March 2006, reinforced the fact
that many children, seniors, and families meet nutrition needs by using a multitude of
resources including: the Food Bank, food stamps, brown bag programs, meals on wheels, and
congregate nutrition programs.
Next Steps

SNP will continue to identify other funding sources for expansion of nutrition services to
underserved areas of seniors in poverty.

SNP continues its efforts to raise awareness by promoting existing services to seniors over the

age of 60. As the County's demographics change, i.e. the great increase in the aged
population, SNP needs to change and meet the need for increased nutrition services; and
insure that those services are provided to the most needy populations.
CONSEQUENCES OF NEGATIVE ACTION

Negative action will result in the Children, Seniors, and Families Committee not accepting
this report to expand nutrition services to underserved seniors in living in poverty.

STEPS EOT J.OWTNG APPROVAL

The Clerk of the Board will follow the usual steps for this type of report.
ATTACHMENXS

Board of Bupervisors: Donald F. Gage, Blanca Alvarado, Pete McHugh, Jim Beall, Liz Kniss
County Executive: Peter Kutras Jr.
6

Committee Agenda Date :May 10, 2006

• Seniors 65 and Over in Poverty

Board of Supen/isors: Donald F. Gage, Blanca Alvarado, Pete McHugh, Jim Beall, Liz Kniss
County Executive: Peter Kutras Jr.
7

Senior Nutrition Progress Report and Update CSFC May 10, 2006

Attachment A: Seniors 65 years and older in Poverty
For seniors in poverty the following data was presented by supervisorial district for
seniors 65 years and older in Poverty:

Table 6A: Seniors 65 years and older in Poverty
Total Seniors
65+*
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
Total

27,127
24,624
24,959
34,889
42,731
154,330

Seniors 65+

in Poverty*
1,373
2,726
1,552

Percent of Seniors 65yrs+
in Poverty

2,418
1,773
9,842

14.0%
27.7%

15.8%
24.6%
18.05

100%

* This is the highest income to poverty ratio reported in Census 2000 data.

Source: Content from September 27, 2005 Memo to County Board of Supervisors from
Steven Golden, Planner III, County Planning Department.